The image I always conjure up in my mind is two people who don’t know each other sitting across a table from each other.  Maybe don’t even speak the same language, but the pot of tea between them offers them common ground, something to share without sharing anything at all.  They lean over and each pours a cup of tea for the other.  They both look up and smile as the steam languidly dances above the cup.  Silently they drink in the moment of calm not having to say a word.

A moment of magic.

Plain and simple. Tea.

Even the word has a nice ring to it and just the thought of a cuppa makes me relax deeper into my chair.

They say tea takes you to another place.  Mine is a place that’s soft and warm and safe.

For me, tea trickles to my extremities and fills all the tiny spaces in my mind and body that need to be filled. A sense of satisfaction and contentment radiates out from my sometimes weary heart.

There is no judgement from me about what I did or didn’t do, or anyone else for that matter at that exact moment. A moment of calm in a world
where hectic is now a normal pace.  Sometimes you can taste the misty mountains or the rich damp soil or maybe if you are lucky, the water which has taken its own exquisite time to seep through rock to nourish the tea plant itself.  That’s a very special taste and can evoke many emotions.
Many a journey can ensue from the simple pleasure of savouring a cup of
tea.

Where did your passion take you today?

Last week I had the pleasure of taking tea like they used to. Time slowed right down and we whiled the hours away enjoying real tea in real cups nibbling away at tiny sandwiches, tarts and macaroons in the heart of The Vintage Kitchen.  There were three of us and even though we hardly knew each other, the tea connected us in a way which was really rather special.  We chatted, we giggled, we savoured and poured (hearts and tea) in amongst hundreds of vintage teacups, doilies and fine crystal.  It was like there were a multitude of stories to be told and heard from each one of those cups…

One of my fondest memories and still one of my greatest pleasures today, is sipping tea from a beautiful old teacup with someone I love. The ritual is almost as enjoyable as taking tea itself. Choosing perhaps the loose leaf tea first and then moving onto to the right teapot, and then on to the perfect cup for that day, that moment, that occassion.  The table is set with lace or flowers or fancy placemats.  A candle is always a welcome complement. It is like the stage has been set for stories to unfold like a dainty  cloth serviette embroidered with pink rosettes, yellow calendula petals or blue forget-me-nots.

If only we could all take the time to enjoy the simple things in life. To make it a habit of slowing down and breathing in the aroma of a freshly brewed cup of tea (and perhaps the smell of freshly baked scones too!).  To get to know someone new, or connect with someone at a deeper level.  Tea for me is a Universal teacher – it transcends culture, age and gender and just keeps on giving.  But don’t just take my word for it, go pop the kettle on and invite someone over – your class starts now…

Thank you Jo and Jackie for a tealightful morning. May there be many more.

I breathe deeply taking in the expansive ocean in front of me.  It is not angry like some days but there is a
sense of urgency and a feeling that something is up, something is coming to a head.

After two days of glorious autumn sunshine, the clouds begin to form as the sea appears to change colour – from
luminous to a dark teal which goes on for miles.  In the space of a few hours, the sun, surf and sand are all a different colour.

The colour of change.

Kids play in the sand; digging, building, scooping.  They bring more and more water to their trenches in buckets watching as it seeps into the sand – they continue their plight without tiring. There is a sense of glee in their movement and expression as they run back and forth from the frothy waves to their castle by the sea which is constantly licked and diminished by the encroaching tide.

But I’ve never seen a sad face playing at the shore.  Who knows what secret treasures they might find in a rocky crevice overgrown with iridescent green velvety seaweed? Even today, I love feeling that very seaweed between my fingers – it offers a smooth coolness and softness all at once.  Almost addictive in that I don’t want to let it go – I want to keep holding it in my hand but reluctantly relinquish control and give it back to the sea. Just like those kids, I revel in my own childhood memories of collecting shells (the smaller and more delicate the better) and discovering darting crabs, tiny fish or even more exciting, a blue-ringed octopus!

The salt burns the back of my throat and I feel it drying on my face but I like it. The water has a cleansing effect on body and mind. The
sun is busting through a thick cover of clouds and I look up to see the rays streaming down from what looks like heaven. What a blessing to see the sun light up the sky like that and radiate its warmth over the water for a few special moments.  Over me, over the children, over the families sharing Easter together, over my family who are in fact oceans away.

I climb up out of the rockpool and leave my troubles in the water beneath me as I hear the laughter of a small child.

A sense of renewal – my cup is now full again.

It’s time to put 2011 to bed, and wake up 2012. Hello there! Are you ready??

A favourite part of my day is to take a moment to stand quietly, choose a tea blend relevant to that particular moment, select a special cup to match my mood and then take five minutes (maybe 20, even an hour!) to savour this cup, and enjoy a quiet moment with the leaves.

I wonder what the world would be like if we all had a moment to do that?  If we all just had a sacred few minutes to just “be” with our own thoughts.  A moment of quiet contemplation, about our quandaries, about our day, our woes, our loved ones, about next week, about how the other half lives, how to pay the bills, or how much we miss someone and allow ourselves to sit with that thought process without judgement.

There’s a constant list of things we need to do and achieve each day, but will stopping for five minutes impact any of these from happening?  Take a breather, and drink it all in.  Take it all in your stride and see what becomes of it.

What tea will you choose, and what cup takes your fancy today?  Mine is a beautiful tender cup of Kuan Yin in an even more delicate second-hand teacup which has the tiniest saucer you’ve ever seen – the type you may see at a doll’s tea party!  It was given to me for my birthday last year.  Special tea, special cup.

My challenge to you is to take five minutes in your day, with your preferred cuppa and spend those few minutes thinking about what it is you need to think about, and be ok with it.  From stillness comes action.

May you enjoy quiet inspiration today.